Companies briefs

Woolworths
has extended its catalogue distribution contract with
Salmat
by three years to June 2014.

Neil Shoebridge

Wesfarmers
has priced hard coking coal from its Curragh mine in Queensland at an average of $US328 a tonne free on board for the June quarter. However, it has warned it is likely to receive that price for only about half of its tonnage, in light of the impact of severe wet weather during the December and March quarters. Wesfarmers said it was likely to lift its “force majeure" declaration for all export contracts in early April, with annual sales forecast at the lower end of a 5.8 million tonne to 6.2 million tonne guidance range. Jamie Freed

Royal Dutch Shell intends to build a new diesel import terminal at Newcastle targeting increased sales to mining companies in the Hunter Valley and Gunnedah regions. Terminal operator Marstel Holdings will develop the project.Angela Macdonald-Smith

BHP Billiton
has signed a deal with
St George Mining
to allow the mining giant to earn up to a 70 per cent interest in the East Laverton nickel project in Western Australia. BHP will receive the stake in return for funding a bankable feasibility study on the project. St George will retain the rights to gold and other minerals on the tenement and will continue to advance its gold prospects. Jamie Freed

Santos
expects to start discussions with partners on development options for the gas discovery at the Apache-operated Zola-1 well in the Carnarvon Basin, which found over 100 metres of net gas “pay" in the total 400-metre gas column. Potential options include processing the gas through a liquefied natural gas project or supplying it to customers within WA.

Angela Macdonald-Smith

Ramsay Health Care
’s French subsidiary, Ramsay Sante, has announced plans to acquire the Clinique Convert Hospital from France’s biggest private hospitals operator, Generale de Sante, for €15 million ($20.6 million). Ramsay also announced it was successful in its bid to build and operate a private hospital on the Sunshine Coast University Hospital site. Khia Mercer

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Company Profile

Virgin Blue
said it has reached a “mutually satisfactory agreement" with IT provider Navitaire after a system collapse last year grounded flights and cost the airline $18 million. The airline also said flights between Sydney and Perth on new Airbus A330 aircraft with a full business class offering will begin on May 26. The A330 service will initially be daily, before moving to a three-times daily schedule from July 4, the company said.

Andrew Cleary

Gunns
’ second-largest shareholder,
Perpetual
, has upped its stake in the timber company to 12.99 per cent from 11.94 per cent. Carrie LaFrenz